Faith
by Kist
Summary: [Rewritten as: Of Course] Faith is belief in a person, idea, or principle even if there is no proof of its truth. He believed that he had what it took to destroy Aizen. She believed that she could stop him. Karin/Toshiro.


Hello to the far and the few who actually bother to read the author's notes.

This story has a special dedication to all those who have kept faith in times of darkness particularly to a good friend who recently passed away before this story could be published. I wish I could say something that could do him justice, but words just don't feel good enough to describe the impact he made in my life. I only hope now that he is in a better place and that his faith was rewarded.

* * *

_._

**Faith**

_._**  
**

Her heart pounded against her chest when their eyes first met. All she could remember thinking is how the mysterious boy with white hair needed help. As he picked up the soccer ball and stared at her expressionlessly, Karin just had a feeling in her gut that something was terribly wrong with him. She couldn't quite explain it, not even to herself, but it was as though he was looking for something in that black and white orb, some question he needed answered that just couldn't be found. His eyes spoke of deep wounds and scars as if he had been cut open and bleeding for a long time, and he simply stopped caring where the blood was coming from so long as no one else came close enough to cut him deeper. Caught off guard as he kicked the ball back to her, Karin wondered what he was looking for, but when she glanced up, he was gone.

But that was three years ago.

So here she was now, running in desperation to save his life, to stop him from going too far. If what Matsumoto told her was true, then he was about to destroy himself. Cursing the limited speed of her human legs, she sped up, practically flying to the railing by the river, hoping that she knew him well enough to know he would want to see the sunset…one last time.

Panting desperately, she smiled in relief when she spotted his figure casually leaning against the railing. He held his phone loosely in his hand, but his attention was focused on the sky as the sun began to paint the clouds in shades of orange and red.

"Toshiro" she gasped, out of breath.

His emerald eyes flickered in her direction revealing neither surprise nor satisfaction with her company. He put his hands in his pockets, shifting his gaze back to the sight before him. Despite his relaxed looking composure, Karin noticed how the muscles in his arm tensed as she approached him

"Matsumoto told me everything," she started, "She told me about Hinamori and Aizen and Las Noches, and I know what you are planning to do is not some field trip you can just walk back from." He shifted as Karin slid her hand across the top of the rail.

"I also know why you came back…" she hesitated when he didn't look at her. Hitsugaya withdrew his hands from his pocket and gripped the rail. He straightened, avoiding her gaze.

"Why?" Karien's voice wavering in the golden light as she pleaded with her eyes, "Why are you…trying so hard to get yourself killed?"

He glanced at her and sighed, "Karin, it's my duty as a shinigami—"

"Bull crap!" she gripped his arm and pulled him to look at her, "You're going on this _mission_ to die. I know you want to avenge what Aizen did to Hinamori, and I understand why you might think now is a good time as any to go play hide-and-go-seek with some monster, but I know you are not stupid Toshiro. If you go into Las Noches, you're not coming back out."

He glared at her, but there was no force behind it. Of course she would react this way. Her facial expression was set in lines of anger. Matsumoto just had to go and open her big mouth to the one person who would be the most upset once the true reason for his accepting the mission request was known. This would be the last time he would be able to watch the sky for a long time, and he would have preferred to have been alone.

When he had sensed her approach, Hitsugaya raised his guard and mentally prepared for her anger, yet what he didn't expect was to have to watch a small amount of liquid build up in the corner of her eye, threatening to spill over her eyelashes and roll down her cheek.

Karin was yelling at him now and shaking his shoulder roughly just as she had done on the day she watched him fight a menos grande at the soccer field. Somehow over their time together, she had wormed her way under his skin, stretching deeper and deeper, trying to stop his wounds from bleeding until she found a place to rest next to his heart of ice.

She was only human. She would change and grow, and her heart would lead her into different directions, away from him and his troubles, where she would be free and normal and human like everyone else. In time, even this memory would fade. Mentally, he cursed Matsumoto for using Karin so selfishly to try to get him to change his mind.

His decision was final.

"Are you even listening?!" Unexpectedly, he leaned forward and brought her lips to his instinctively closing his eyes and cautiously wrapping an arm around her waist, resting his palm on the flat of her back. Kami forgive him for kissing a human.

The stunned Karin responded sluggishly. Red flooded her face as she too let her eyelids shut and pulled him closer. Her first kiss was soft and warm like the sunset glowing against her skin. He held her carefully, restraining himself from becoming too intimate. After a moment, Hitsugaya pulled away and gently removed her hold resisting the desire to kiss her again and put off his task for just a while longer, "I have to go."

"Why?" her eyes shone with a mixture of emotions and she appeared unsure as to which to settle on, "You still haven't answered my question."

He glanced back up at the sky before turning his back on the setting sun, "Souls are different from humans. When we die, we come back to the living world as newborns without any memory of who or what we once were. Which each rebirth our reiatsu grows stronger in exchange for the memories we leave behind."

A mixture of salt and water slipped down her face which was quickly followed by another, but Karin stubbornly wiped them away mentally cursing herself for crying.

"You, you want to forget us…" she hated the way her voice cracked, sounding so vulnerable and defeated.

"No, or at least not yet anyways," the corner of his lip tilted, a grim hint of a smile as Karin tried to hide her tears by rubbing her eyes, "I'm just saying that if I lose, I don't really die…This is... It's just something I have to do."

"But _why_? I still don't understand! Why do you have to go?! Why do _you_ have to do this?! Any WHY did you kiss me if all you are going to do is just leave and go get 'reborn' or whatever?"

Hitsugaya's phone began to blink, but he ignored it, instead taking another step away from her.

"Trust me."

As she made to move towards him, Hitsugaya tossed his silver cell phone at her. It gleamed in the fading sunlight as it rose in the air. She followed its path with her eyes, and catching it easily, Karin blinked to see that her companion was suddenly gone. Muttering angrily to herself, she flippeded the phone open and began to run towards the blinking red light which indicated the presence of a hallow. By now, Matsumoto was probably drunk, and someone had to keep this town intact.

As she ran, Karin glanced back up at the sky and smiled.

_He'll be back_.

.

* * *

Too often words are used in vain and diminuish the meaning we are looking for. For a lack of better words to leave at the grave of my passing friend, I leave a story instead. Truely it is to meager an offering, and words again, do sully his work, but he never lost faith in me or in my words, and I can only hope that I may one day write a story good enough to honor his passing. Rest in peace my friend, and keep you faith as you always have.


End file.
